Young Frankenstein
by MyTigerNacho
Summary: Noblesse AU where Frankenstein is 10 years old when he meets Cadis Etrama di Raizel.
1. Chapter 1

Frankenstein gasped for breath, clinging weakly to a large boulder.

He rested for a moment, eyes closing wearily, but he knew he couldn't rest for too long. Staying in one place, even to rest, was too risky.

The fact that he was only ten years old, a small child, was of little consequence to the Union. They would do whatever necessary to capture and squeeze every last bit of information out of him as they could.

They had already done many atrocious acts in their pursuit of him. Mass killings, destroying villages and livelihoods, spreading vicious lies that left him isolated and unable to find allies or refuge.

He had escaped from them, and the Union did not forgive easily.

At that thought a stinging prickle raced across his skin and mind. Yes, he had to keep moving: being injured or tired was no excuse for tarrying. Rest, physical or mental, was a luxury he could barely afford now.

He looked up and examined his surroundings. He had expected an island, of course. What else would one find in the middle of an ocean? He had not, however, expected such a large island. The coastline stretched to the horizon on either side of him, no end in sight.

He felt his heart sink a little. Large islands usually meant residents. People. And people often meant the Union.

Grimly, he climbed upon the boulder and began to make his way to the shoreline, allowing most of the salt water to cascade down his skin as he did. He began formulating a general plan as he went. He would stay out of contact with any residents. He would build a small and unimposing shelter where he could make a new boat without anyone knowing or interfering. Perhaps acquire some fabric to make himself some more clothes.

But first, he thought as his stomach rumbled audibly, he needed to scout to find food and a good source of fresh water.

He jumped easily to the nearest tree and moved swiftly through a large forest, his small size and agility allowing him to weave through the branches and leaves without disturbing them. He grinned as he moved effortlessly through the sky, enjoying the sensation as he had always done since he had discovered his abilities.

He found a small stream and stopped to drink before once again leaping into the nearby trees.

He eventually paused on a lower branch of a tree near the little stream, letting his eyes half close in concentration. He listened.

 _Rustle._

 _Crunch, rustle._

In an instant he was on the ground, painlessly breaking the neck of the large rabbit. He smiled proudly as he used Dark Spear to prepare it. He had only had his increased abilities for a year, but they sure did make certain tasks a lot easier.

Although they had also caused so many more problems.

He shook his head vigorously and scowled. There was no reason to dwell on the past. He should focus on the present. And presently he needed firewood.

He walked around, finding plenty of usable logs and kindling in the untouched forest, and set about making a safe area to create a fire. He had chosen a small clearing under a thick canopy, hoping that the shear amount of leaves would help prevent the smoke from escaping to some extent, or at least make it a bit harder to pinpoint his exact location.

He generated the correct amount of friction to create the fire and sat down on a rock to wait. The fire would have to reach a certain temperature before –

A panicked prickle across his mind.

Frankenstein's head shot up and to the west. No, they couldn't have found him so fast. Could they? How had they _known_?

But even as he thought this he swept into action, putting out his little fire. He could feel the auras of several people, spread somewhat far apart but still moving in his direction. Even if none of them passed by right next to him it was wishful thinking to think that none of them would see or smell the smoke.

Not that he didn't think he could take them. But a fight against even a few low-level minions would cause a ruckus and attract more and higher-level agents. Frankenstein had been involved with the Union for so long that he knew they would sacrifice a few humans, a few 'pawns,' just to pinpoint his location.

So he ran.

The forest ground passed beneath him at high speed as he ran almost due east. He was not fit to leave this island yet, so he would have to find a satisfactory shelter to lay low in before moving on.

Frankenstein reverted his focus back to the pursuers, and his eyes widened a bit as he glanced behind him. Shit. While he had been distracted his pursuers had obviously found his trail, zeroing in on him with increased speed. He would have to just pick a place, hide his energy, and hope that they passed over him.

A mansion loomed ahead of him, seeming almost to appear out of nowhere.

A building? A building meant people, people who would turn him away, who would turn him in. Plus, this building felt… strange. He could sense power from it. And for all its grandeur, it seemed derelict. Unkempt.

An empty mansion? Or a trap?

But he didn't have much choice right now.

He jumped down onto a windowsill and forced a window open, shutting it as quickly and quietly as he possibly could. He put his back against a nearby wall and waited. Maybe he could give these guys the slip. They would certainly come into the house to look for him – there was no other place he could have hidden in such a short amount of time. But with its enormous size and strange energy encompassing it they would likely have to search manually for him. Once he was sure they had followed him into the house he would discreetly head the same direction he had come from and leave them wondering where he had gone.

His heartrate increased as he felt the auras –four in total – race toward him.

He tensed as they drew even with the mansion.

And he frowned as he felt the pursuers turn sharply to avoid the building, a look of pure incredulousness appearing on his face as he felt them turn the corner and continue past it, as if the idea that he was in it had not even occurred to them as a possibility.

For a period of time that felt like a year, Frankenstein crouched against the wall, waiting, waiting for something to happen.

He waited.

And waited.

Nothing happened.

He stood up slowly, looking around the room.

It was spacious, several couches and chairs sitting around a wide, low table. Bookcases lined the wall nearest to him. It didn't look all that much different from the rooms he had briefly seen in the houses of the gentry, complete with silver candlesticks.

But still, he was once again struck with the thought that this place was strange. The fabric on the furniture was vibrant and showed no signs of disrepair. The books looked like they had been placed there yesterday. And all the silver candle holders were as bright and polished as a full moon. There was not a speck of dust on anything.

And yet….

And yet, everything looked so desolate, he thought as he looked sadly around the room. Like it was in stasis, waiting patiently and eternally for someone to pick a book off the shelf, sit down and read under the candlelight.

It just seemed so… lonely.

He saw movement out of the corner of his eye and felt a jolt of adrenaline go through his body as he turned toward the only other window in the room.

He was not alone.

* * *

 **A/N** : So this is an AU where little Frankenstein is an experiment from the Union who escaped. More mysteries will be revealed and solved as the story progresses. I don't really see fanfics with child!Frankenstein and I like the concept, so I'm gonna see where it takes me :)

Please let me know what you think, and if you think I should continue it.


	2. Chapter 2

Cadis Etrama di Raizel stood silently at the window, watching the sun set as he had done for an uncountable number of days.

He watched as the trees, the grass, the animals, and the sky were blanketed in darkness, watched as the stars appeared one by one, little pinpricks of light that surrounded the moon.

It was full tonight.

He let out a quiet sigh, unheard by anyone except the night sky.

He continued to watch the world outside his window, thinking of nothing.

Then he tilted his head slowly.

There was someone coming.

It did not feel like the Princess, his most frequent visitor, nor was it any of the clan leaders. This energy was small but fierce, and moving quickly in his direction.

He watched blankly as the small child, small _human_ child, jumped through the other window in the room and bent down, his back towards him.

Cadis Etrama di Raizel looked at him from the corner of his eye. The child was tense, focused.

He was also viciously weary.

And scared.

Raizel looked out the window and observed the four Central Order Knights moving swiftly in this direction. Without a second thought he sent out a subtle wave of his power. The boy was no criminal. There was no need for them to discover the little one and cause him more stress.

With his duty to protect humanity accomplished he turned back to his window. He then quickly desisted his efforts to empty his mind. It was rather difficult when the thoughts of the young boy were filling his head.

Thoughts of sadness and loneliness.

Cadis Etrama di Raizel's eyes saddened as he turned slightly towards the child. He understood all too well the sadness that loneliness induced, and it pained him to see such a young child experience the isolation he had felt for as long as he could remember.

Their eyes connected.

 **-xxxxxxx-**

Frankenstein stared into the eyes of the raven-haired young man for a moment.

Then he ran.

How could he have been so careless? The man had been _right there_ , not ten feet from him, and _he hadn't noticed him!_ He hadn't felt anyone in the house when he had entered, only that strange energy, so where – ?

Frankenstein's eyes widened with the horrifying realization that the power must have belonged to that guy! It was so immense and so entrenched in the atmosphere that he hadn't even considered that it had come from a person!

He continued to run down halls as he glanced behind him. He had to get away from this unknown being of unfathomable power!

…. Who wasn't pursuing him.

He came to a dead stop.

The man… wasn't pursuing him?

He forced himself to stay still and observe his surroundings, even though his body was still telling him to run.

… And that was weird in-and-of itself. His _body_ wanted him to run, to move, to do something, but that was just a natural response to the adrenaline that had been released into his bloodstream. His _instincts_ , on the other hand, were not raising any alarms, not when he had entered the building or even when he had noticed someone near his person. His instincts were what told him when someone was coming and how strong they were, like the people who he had just escaped from. That was what Dark Spear _did_. And yet, there had been no prickle of warning or caution before or after Frankenstein had noticed the stranger.

Did that mean that the man wasn't a threat to him? But he had been so powerful! And powerful people were always a part of the Union.

He frowned as he tried to reconcile his mind with his instincts. In his experience, strong men were bad men. There had been no exceptions. But his instincts, which had never led him astray before, told him that this man was not a threat at all.

He stared down the hall he had just run through. No sound of pursuit, no aura closing in. There was no one behind him. He hesitated. He knew he should probably run, use this chance to throw off all the people chasing him, but he couldn't help his curiosity.

Who _was_ that guy? Why didn't he seem to care that Frankenstein was a Union traitor who had just broken into his house? The stranger hadn't seemed angry, upset or even surprised to see him. He had just _stared_ at him.

Frankenstein bit his lip before squaring his little shoulders and retracing his steps, following the faint trace his aura had left behind.

He would trust his instincts this time. Because the fact that this man hadn't pursued him meant that he was already different from the other strong men Frankenstein had met before.


	3. Chapter 3

Frankenstein stood with his back against the wall, right outside the room he had fled from. His heart was beating wildly, though from fear or excitement he couldn't tell. He still didn't know what had possessed him to return to the strange man, but here he was.

Dark Spear was still silent, sending no whisper of warning.

Frankenstein took a deep breath, and peeked around the corner.

The man hadn't moved an inch. He was just standing there, staring out the window. What was he looking at?

Frankenstein ducked silently into the room, keeping close to the open door in case he needed to make a quick getaway. He leaned a little to the left, trying to see what the young man was staring at that was so interesting.

He frowned. He could see nothing but a bunch of trees and distant mountains. Though the rays of moonlight filtering through the forest leaves was beautiful, it just didn't seem adequate enough to explain why this man was more interested in it than a strange kid wandering around his house.

The man turned to look at him once more. And once again, he did not look mad or annoyed at his intrusion, he just stared at Frankenstein with piercing eyes. Frankenstein fidgeted a little under his gaze. It almost seemed like this man was looking into his very soul, and he was suddenly acutely aware that he had broken into this person's house and not apologized or explained himself.

"I-I'm Frankenstein," he stammered out, his voice a little hoarse. His eyebrows pulled together as he cleared his throat. It occurred to him that he hadn't spoken a single word to anyone in weeks. His vocal chords were out of practice.

The young man continued to look at him.

"Cadis Etrama di Raizel," he responded before turning back to his window.

"Um, I'm sorry for coming into your house…." He didn't know what else to say. He didn't tell him that he was on the run, that he was wanted. He didn't want this man to be like all the others who had turned him in.

"You have done nothing wrong," Cadis Etrama di Raizel said without looking at him. His words held a strange resonance, but Frankenstein was happy to hear that he had been forgiven for trespassing.

Frankenstein walked forward unconsciously, moving to stand just a little behind Cadis Etrama di Raizel and directly on his left.

"What are you looking at?" he asked, looking up at the young man curiously. It felt good to talk to someone. To just talk about trivial things and not have to barter for food or inquire about suspicious strangers, or even worse, being run out of a village and not being able to talk to anyone.

Cadis Etrama di Raizel looked down at him from the corner of his eye.

"I am looking at the trees, the sky, the earth, the animals. Everything that I can see from this window."

His eyes turned back toward the window as if that settled the matter.

"But, why?" Frankenstein asked him, confused. That sounded boring and pointless. It didn't accomplish anything!

Cadis Etrama di Raizel glanced down at him, meeting Frankenstein's gaze. It took him a moment to realize that his strange companion was just as confused as he was.

"Because…," Cadis Etrama di Raizel started, "because I enjoy doing so." he finally said.

Frankenstein blinked. He stared at Cadis Etrama di Raizel for a long second.

Then he started to laugh.

It started out as a soft chuckle before developing into a giggle, until finally he was almost bent double, laughing heartily to himself. That fact that he had never had this reaction to anyone before and was probably very inappropriate behavior to show someone you had just met just made him laugh harder.

Because what could he say to that? It had been such a simple answer, an answer he had _not_ expected, and yet it explained everything. This man enjoyed watching the world outside this window, so he did it.

The concept was novel to him, and it made Frankenstein realize that he couldn't remember ever doing something purely for enjoyment. He couldn't even think of anything fun he would do even if he did have the opportunity. He enjoyed using his powers, true, but so far he had never used them simply for the pleasure of using them. It was always to secure food or run from enemies.

As Frankenstein's laughter tapered off he grinned up at the slightly perplexed young man he had only just met and moved so that he was right next to him. The window ledge reached up to his shoulders, so he rested his forearms against the windowsill.

Then he looked up at Cadis Etrama di Raizel and said, "Okay, we'll try it your way then." He smiled a little to himself as he placed his chin on his arms and stared out the window. Maybe he would discover that this was something that he enjoyed doing as well.

 **-xxxxxxx-**

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for the great reviews guys! I'll have y'all know that a lot of the scenarios you guys have talked about were actually in my game plan, or at least something similar, so I'm really happy that everyone thinks little Franky is as cute as I do .

Please keep reviewing! No matter what you want to say, it really motivates me to keep writing ^.^


	4. Chapter 4

Frankenstein wandered around the strange mansion, looking for a kitchen. He had gone out hunting not long ago and found another rabbit. The blueberry bushes he had also found had been an unexpected treat, and he had brought back as many as he could carry in a makeshift pouch he had made with a strip of his shirt.

As he searched the bottom floor he couldn't help but think of his new acquaintance. Cadis Etrama di Raizel. If his prestigious mansion and dignified air hadn't tipped Frankenstein off that this man was of the gentry, then his name certainly would have.

Frankenstein had observed the world outside the window for an hour or so, and it hadn't been as boring as he had initially thought it would be. The forest changed constantly: the shading and lighting shifted as the moon and stars drifted through the sky and the noise level rose and fell as different animals crept out into the night and began to hunt. From what seemed to be a monotonous forest from far away actually contained dozens of different types of trees, flowers, and bushes. As much time as he had spent in forests, he had never had the chance to simply watch things unfold, and he had indeed enjoyed it.

Until his stomach had rumbled loudly, interrupting both of their window-gazing. He was then reminded that he had not gotten to eat the rabbit he had caught earlier, so he had leapt out the window to see what he could find.

He opened the doors to over two dozen rooms before finally finding the kitchen. Each room he had looked into seemed strange, unnatural, but he didn't sense any danger, so he did his best to repress the feeling.

He set about lighting a fire in the old oven using the wood he had found before beginning his search for cutlery and plates. There was nothing in the lower cabinets, and he frowned as he looked up at the cabinets hanging on the wall. He sighed, but there was nothing else for it. There were no chairs to push over, so he climbed onto the countertop and balanced on his knees as he went from cabinet to cabinet until finally finding some slightly dusty dishware in a cabinet near the oven. He collected the items he needed before hopping back down and going to the pump in the corner of the room to rinse them off.

If it were just him he would have eaten with his hands, but he had a guest today. Well, technically _he_ was the guest, but even so he wanted to make the owner of the mansion some food as thanks for letting Frankenstein's act of trespassing go. He was sure the man had servants who prepared and served his food, nobility always did, but Frankenstein wanted to –

He paused in the act of putting the rabbit on the fire to roast.

Now that he thought about it, Frankenstein hadn't seen anyone in the house besides Cadis Etrama di Raizel. Not during his frantic bid to escape earlier, not while he had been standing at the window, and not when he had been walking through the first floor, deliberately opening a large number of doors.

 _That's_ what had seemed off, he realized. With a house this big, you'd expect a large number of people to be living in it. Even if Cadis Etrama di Raizel was the only _noble_ living here, he still would require servants to keep up the property and serve him. But the rooms had showed no sign of habitation. The entire _house_ showed no sign of habitation. And the evidence for that was right in front of him. The kitchen of any residence meant food and water, and food and water meant life. This kitchen looked like it had been untouched for years, the cabinets bare and the dishware dusty.

The empty-seeming house he might could have overlooked – maybe this family had come upon hard times and the number of servants had decreased, causing some rooms to go unlived in. The empty kitchen might not be so strange as well – maybe there was another kitchen. But both at the same time?

Was _no one_ looking after Cadis Etrama di Raizel?

But he looked so young! Not as young as he was, of course, but not all that much older either. Was the house completely bankrupt then? For how many years, for how many generations? Did the young man feel obligated to stay in the derelict house of his ancestors, perhaps hiding the fact that his family could no longer afford to have servants? Was he staying here alone, simply because he thought he was supposed to, that he felt it was his duty? No wonder he liked looking out a window so much, he probably didn't know what else to do, and even if he did there was no one to enjoy it with.

Frankenstein frowned as he finally placed the rabbit in the oven and waited for it to cook. That was horrible! Whatever the circumstances Cadis Etrama di Raizel was in, he shouldn't be alone in an empty old mansion for no real reason. Frankenstein was by no means an expert on pastimes, but he could at least keep him company, maybe teach him how to hunt and forage for edible fruits and greens, or even –

He brought his thoughts up short as his expression saddened. No, he thought, don't get carried away. You know you can't stay here. Every time you try to find a permanent home the people around you either get hurt simply because you associated with them, or they turn out to be Union spies and turn you in for money. It would be better for both of you if leave as soon as possible.

His vision blurred as he gazed into the fire, but he furiously wiped his eyes. He was still on the run, and wishing he could maybe stay with Cadis Etrama di Raizel for a while and spend some time with him and figure out how to do nothing and be _safe_ for a little bit was pointless. His reality wasn't so generous, and he didn't want to involve a nice young man like Cadis Etrama di Raizel just to fulfill his own selfish desires. It was better for both their sakes that he move on after dinner.

 **-xxxxxxx-**

 **A/N:** As always, thank you for reading, and please review/comment as much as you like! :)

When I thought of little Franky cooking in the kitchen my first thought was his tiny, cute self climbing up on the counter .. Now you cannot tell me that that image is not adorable! .

Oh and btw, little Frankenstein doesn't know about Nobles yet :)


	5. Chapter 5

Cadis Etrama di Raizel stared solemnly out the window.

The young boy – Frankenstein – had procured food from the surrounding forest and borrowed the kitchen to prepare it. He didn't know what a 'kitchen' was, or why it was necessary to prepare food, but the mansion had many rooms, and he had not left his window in centuries. It only stood to reason that he would have forgotten a few rooms and their purpose.

The boy had made the food for both of them, informing Raizel that he had wanted to make up for entering his mansion without permission by providing Raizel with a meal. Raizel had seen nothing wrong with the intrusion; it was only natural for humans to seek the help of Nobles, and for Nobles to provide just that. But it had been important to Frankenstein, so Raizel had complied.

It had been… strange, to partake in a meal with someone else. Certainly not something he was used to doing. Urokai had taken to making tea during his most recent visits, but it was not the same. With Urokai, or any of the other Clan Leaders for that matter, the undercurrents of fear and reverence were always present in whatever they did. Some seemed to fear him more than they respected him, while others respected him more than feared him, but it made little difference to Raizel. Both emotions were isolating.

But the young boy had showed no such emotions. He had seemed… happy, to spend time with someone else. He had also been strangely concerned, that Raizel was living alone.

But though he was not disrespectful, there was no undue reverence in his voice or demeanor, and despite the boy's panic earlier Raizel's presence did not invoke any fear.

He had become completely accustomed to the mindset the Clan Leaders showed to him that being around someone _without_ this mindset had been… strange.

But not unpleasant.

The boy had felt saddened when they had parted and Raizel had felt his own sadness grow as Frankenstein disappeared into the forest. He was obviously more than human, the power within his small body foreign to Raizel. But no normal human could move at such speeds, nor could they enter Lukedonia so easily. But despite accomplishing what no human had done without entering into a contract, Frankenstein was alone.

And Raizel hated to see others suffer as he has.

But Raizel would not force someone to stay with him if it was not their wish, even if it was to provide a chance for a human child to feel safe and happy. That would be an abuse of his power.

So Raizel had simply nodded his head toward Frankenstein as the latter had perched on the windowsill, receiving a sad smile in return.

And then the boy was gone.

The Noblesse took a deep breath and emptied his mind as he stared out the window. As was the case every day, he focused on the trees and sky, the stars and wind.

A distant flash of energy, light and sound caught his attention.

Someone was fighting on the island.

Fights did not occur in Lukedonia often. The knights of each clan had training grounds, and the Clan Leaders saw no need to aggressively spar with each other. Strength would come with time.

Raizel watched as the light display came to an end and his eyes narrowed slightly.

The only time Lukedonia saw violence usually involved him. Raizel frowned slightly.

Or intruders.

Frankenstein.

He must have been discovered.

Raizel's frown deepened.

On the rare occasion a normal human found their way to Lukedonia, the Central Order Knights simply erased their memories and returned them to the other humans. But Frankenstein was not a normal human. He would almost certainly be deemed an intruder with ill intent, not a weary, hurt child in need of protection.

Raizel did not question his decision for a moment as he leapt out his window and proceeded towards the Lord's Castle.

 **-xxxxxxx-**

Frankenstein trudged slowly through the forest, for once not using this opportunity to race through the trees.

He was sulking again, he knew that. He had had a taste of something that resembled a normal life – eating food prepared in a kitchen as opposed to over an outdoor fire, discussing frivolous subjects with another person, in a place where he felt safe – and the fact that he was not able to grab hold of it and _keep_ it was so unfair. If the Union hadn't been searching for him he could have stayed for a while! If Raizel hadn't minded, of course. And from what little he had seen, Raizel didn't mind _anything_.

Frankenstein's pout deepened as he stomped angrily alongside a river, not even paying attention to where his feet were taking him. It was just so unfair! Why couldn't the Union just leave him alone? It wasn't like he had _chosen_ to be the one to take in Dark Spear and become a 'successful experiment.' He had just… accepted Dark Spear. Or maybe Dark Spear had just accepted him. Either way he hated that it made the white coated scientists look at him like a gold egg-laying goose. Neither he nor Dark Spear were mere interesting objects to be toyed with at every given opportunity.

So he had escaped. After all, _he_ hadn't wanted to be 'enhanced' or a 'success.' He had just wanted to live, and living while being a Union experiment probably held the same odds as being struck by lightning on a clear day. Frankenstein had seen the number of bodies the Union disposed of.

He pushed grumpily through a thicket to find a mansion in front of him. For a brief instant he thought that in his reverie he had walked around in a complete circle, but the thought was instantly dispelled when he felt the sharp prickling across his skin. A warning from Dark Spear. His eyes widened slightly at the urgency and abruptness of the warning, but before he could even react he was surrounded.

He mentally berated himself for not paying attention to his surroundings even as he gathered his energy. He _knew_ he had been discovered not that long ago. Why hadn't he been more observant and cautious?

Too late to worry about it now, though.

He reflexively sent a wave a crackling black and purple spears towards his opponents, increasing the density around the person directly behind him. He didn't stop to take stock of the damage; the attack had been mostly blind on his part and wasn't meant to kill, only confuse.

He turned on his heal and rushed the one behind him, coming face-to-face with a man who was probably middle-aged, as he summoned Dark Spear in its entirety. Though perhaps the man was younger, Frankenstein thought detachedly. His hair was as black as his uniform, no hint of silver among it.

Then he paused in shock. These people were wearing black uniforms, not the standard white of the Union. Frankenstein had _never_ seen anyone in the Union not wearing white, not even low-ranking agents.

Were these people not from the Union? Was it just an elaborate trap to trick him? Were they from another organization?

His moment of hesitation cost him as the enemies behind him recovered from his initial attack and targeted his exposed back, a painful gash appearing on his lower back before Frankenstein spun around and slashed at them with Dark Spear, forcing them to retreat to a safer distance. He immediately ducked, feeling the wind pressure as the black-haired man's attack passed right above him, his short blonde hair blowing forward as a result.

In his crouched position he swept his leg at the mans' ankles, forcing the other to leap backwards so as not to fall and provide an opening.

With a healthy distance between him and his opponents, Frankenstein once again rushed the man with black hair. He had been separated from the other fighters, so it would be easiest to slip past him and escape.

He turned swiftly toward the other, hoping to catch him off guard, but found himself blocked by yet another black-uniformed man. Frankenstein instantly leapt backwards and scowled, trying to slow his rapid heartbeat.

He faced the newcomer squarely and saw that he was tall and youthful with very long blonde hair.

But, more importantly, how had the man gotten in front of him without Frankenstein noticing his presence beforehand?

He glared at the new guy, trying to bring Dark Spear up into a more defensive position.

He couldn't move his arm.

He eyes widened as he struggled to move any part of his body, but it was futile. He couldn't move. _Why couldn't he move?_

He continued to stare at the blonde man even as he felt his vision going black. Had he been drugged? Or did this man have an ability that could render a person immobile? He had never heard of such a thing, but it could certainly be possible. Whatever it was, Frankenstein could not overcome it. He struggled nonetheless. He was going to be caught so easily, be dragged back to the Union helplessly.

All the running, hiding, scrounging, crying. It had all been for nothing.

He felt cold cuffs being locked into place around his wrists, and then his consciousness left him.


	6. Chapter 6

The scent of pine needles and damp earth filled his nostrils. His heart was hammering in his chest, but he managed to keep himself from panicking. He kept his breathing steady and his body unmoving as he assessed his situation.

He was not injured beyond the wounds he had received in his fight, but the cuffs that had been placed on his wrists were cold and painful. He could hear several people talking, though they were too low and far away for him to discern the nature of their conversation. He reached for Dark Spear, hoping to get a read on the number of enemies and their respective powers. He hadn't woken up in a lab, so that meant there was still hope he could escape.

But Dark Spear was silent.

His heartrate spiked yet again and he couldn't stop his breathing from becoming slightly erratic. Had something happened to Dark Spear? He reached out again, more strongly this time.

…

There!

He could just barely feel Dark Spear's presence, but it was muted somehow, like someone had locked him up behind a thick wooden door, and Frankenstein had to press his ear hard against the wood to even hear a murmur. Was it because of that strange sensation he had felt earlier? Could that power also be used to deny Frankenstein access to Dark Spear as well as immobilize him? Or was it perhaps a property of these handcuffs, to seal not just movement but also powers?

Regardless, he relaxed marginally. At least they were still together. He had been afraid they had extracted Dark Spear from him to use for their own nefarious purposes. But even though he still had Dark Spear, his situation was no less dire. It was more dire, really. He would never be able to escape from these people without Dark Spear. And if it _was_ these handcuffs that restricted Dark Spear, even if he did escape he would have to find a way to break them so as to fully reunite with Dark Spear.

A low, male voice sounded from directly above him.

"You are awake." It wasn't a question.

Once again Frankenstein had had no warning of this man's proximity. Frankenstein pursed his lips, considering just lying there and not responding, but he decided against it. If he kept still the other might think he was nothing more than a small, submissive boy. Frankenstein may have gotten caught, but he'd be damned if he'd simply roll over and submit to these people.

He opened his eyes and stood up, glaring all the while at the blonde man.

For all the reaction he got he may as well have glared at a tree trunk. The man simply looked at him with an expression that was, at most, mildly interested.

Then he looked at something behind Frankenstein, and Frankenstein heard soft footsteps approaching. Frankenstein tensed slightly, keeping his eyes on the man who seemed to be able to move in the blink of an eye, and instinctively waited for Dark Spear to inform him about the unseen newcomer. Only to remember that he had been cut off from Dark Spear. He scowled before quickly adopting a more neutral expression. He didn't want to give these people the satisfaction of seeing how annoyed and vulnerable they had made him.

A woman appeared in his periphery, and Frankenstein turned to look at her through narrowed eyes. She was of average height, with long, unbound gray hair that waved very gently to the small of her back. Like the blonde man, she wore a uniform of true black fabric trimmed with gold.

His eyes narrowed even further as he looked between her and the blonde man.

Who were these people?

He had assumed they were from the Union, but so far most of their actions were unlike those of the Union. The Union wore white, these people wore black. The Union would have immediately brought him to a lab, these people had only briefly knocked him out and had allowed him to wake up and stand with his own power. The Union would have gloated about his capture, these people had barely said anything to him. Honestly, if it wasn't for the fact that these people had chased and captured him, he would never have associated them with the Union.

They must belong to some other organization, though he did not know which.

The woman had continued to look passively at him while he considered the possibilities. Then she turned to the blonde man.

"Ragar-nim, I will escort the trespasser to the Lord." Lord? Lord of what? The Union didn't have lords, they had Elders. It was becoming more and more likely that these people were not from the Union.

"Very well. I will inform the Lord of your intentions." The blonde man, Ragar, tugged lightly on the mask that covered the bottom half of his face and disappeared into thin air, moving so fast and silently that it took Frankenstein a moment to even realize he had left.

The woman turned towards him again.

"Please follow me. We are not far from the castle."

She started walking away.

Frankenstein didn't move.

"Where are you taking me?" He wasn't going to follow behind her like an obedient dog.

She looked over her shoulder. "To the Lord of the Nobles," she responded, and resumed her sedate walk.

He ground his teeth together and debated silently and quickly. These people were not the Union, he was almost sure of it, though they must be a similar organization if their abilities were of any indication. But what did she mean, a lord of nobles? In general the only persons higher than nobility were royalty. But kings didn't call themselves 'Lord,' since lord was a term used for those below their station. And a 'Lord of nobles'? What kind of king _only_ ruled over nobles? For any kingdom to be prosperous there must be at least a working class.

He had too many questions and too few solid answers. He straightened his back and followed after the retreating woman. He would follow her to this 'Lord.' He was caught anyway, with very little chance of escape, and maybe he could get some answers if he cooperated.

 **oXo**

Frankenstein stood in front of a pair of enormous carved doors.

The woman had mentioned something about a castle, but he had not expected something quite this large and extravagant. He could only imagine that the reason he had never heard of this rather large and clearly wealthy kingdom was because there were people residing here who were greatly enhanced.

The woman paused as she raised her hand towards the door, glancing at him. She then moved her outstretched arm in his direction. He tensed, eyes widening as he felt a wisp of power swirl around him. But there was no pain. What had she done?

He glanced down and felt his jaw drop. He was now wearing a clean, perfectly fitted shirt. His pants had also been similarly mended, no tears or dirt to be seen. In fact, his entire body was now free of dirt and blood, and his hair fell softly against his cheeks as if it had just been freshly washed and dried.

How – ?

His speculations were cut short as the woman once again raised her arm and pushed the doors open.

Inside was a spacious room. A raised dais sat at the end, and upon it was a simple, unadorned throne. Ragar was there, standing off to the side next to an older looking gentleman with white and black hair and a monocle. Across from this man stood an even older looking man, who resembled a piece of gnarled driftwood.

He could not see the man on the throne, as his face was in shadows.

He followed the gray-haired woman into the room, watching the others carefully. Ragar and the man next to him showed little to no reaction to him; they did not so much as look at him. The old guy stared.

As the woman drew even with the three men, she sank gracefully onto one knee and crossed her right arm over her chest, her palm coming to rest above her heart.

"I, Aderes Mergas, salute the Lord."

Silence followed this statement.

Frankenstein stared dubiously at her for a moment before glaring at the shadowed figure on the throne. He may not know what was going on, but these people had better not expect him to bow before this man. He followed no 'Lord.'

A few more moments of silence passed as he continued to glare at the man on the throne.

"Rise, Aderes," said a melodious tenor.

The woman, whose name was apparently Aderes, rose just as gracefully as she had knelt, her arm still respectfully placed across her chest.

"Well, well, well," the man on the throne hummed, "Ragar tells me we have a trespasser, who I can only assume is the young man behind you, yes?"

"Yes, Lord," the woman responded.

Frankenstein saw the man on the throne nod seriously. "Would you be so kind as to give me your full report of the situation?"

"Yes, Lord. About 5 hours ago my Central Order Knights informed me of a disturbance in the barrier. They detected the aura of someone who was not a Noble entering the island and gave pursuit. The aura they were chasing quickly disappeared from their detection range, however, and they lost the intruder. For several hours they were unable to detect any sign of the intruder. I informed Ragar-nim of this invasion and requested the aid of his knights in order to more thoroughly search the area. Not long after the Kertia clan's knights began to move, the intruder showed himself to them and attacked without delay or provocation. He displayed powers beyond that of a human and likely would have been able to defeat and escape from the Kertia clan's knights had Ragar-nim himself not stepped in and restrained him. We sealed his movements with handcuffs as a precaution, but since he is human and not a Noble of any clan, I determined that it would be best for you to decide his fate, Lord."

Silence once again filled the room.

Frankenstein pursed his lips but kept silent as well. So he had been captured because he had entered this island and then attacked those men? But he had had no choice but to enter the island. He would have died if he hadn't. And he only attacked those men because they had been pursuing him earlier. Or at least that's what he had thought. If the people pursuing him caught up to him he always had to defend himself because they _always_ attacked. That was how it had always been. There had never been any middle ground.

But would they believe that? From their perspective, he had illegally entered their territory and attacked their people. Plus, if he told them he was constantly having to run away from people, he would have to tell them about the Union. These people might not be the Union, but he wasn't about to take the chance that they were affiliated with the Union.

To him, going to jail or even being given a death sentence for his crimes were less severe than being turned back over to the Union.

"What is your name?" The Lord asked.

Frankenstein didn't answer. The Union knew his name, had spread it far and wide. If they knew his name they would know he was wanted by the Union.

"Hmm. No answer? Well do you at least have an explanation for your behavior?"

No, he couldn't. Any explanation he could give linked back to the Union. Frankenstein kept silent.

"Come now, or I shall have to assume the worst." The Lord was treating him like a misbehaving child.

Frankenstein intensified his glare.

"He seems to be quite unruly and disrespectful, on top of being extremely dangerous." The gnarled old man stared balefully at him. Frankenstein turned his glare towards him instead.

The man with the monocle spoke, his voice deep and authoritative. "Lagus, even if he has gained strength beyond that of a human, he is still a human, and a child at that. I think calling him 'extremely dangerous' is an overstatement."

"To a Clan Leader, of course he is not dangerous. But as the Mergas Clan Leader stated in her report, this mere human child was capable of not only evading the Central Order Knights, but also of defeating the Kertia clan's knights. Can you imagine what kind of havoc he could wreak among humans with such power? And that is not even taking into account what atrocities he must have had to commit to obtain such power. Can we really let such a danger to humanity run wild?

Frankenstein felt an angry retort rising. Danger to humanity? Him? The only danger to humanity was the Union, and he was doing everything in his power to stay away from them! This man was just as small minded as everyone else, only seeing the surface, not bothering to look any deeper.

His mouth opened on its own accord as the unfairness of it all made Frankenstein fume, but before he could utter a sound, the door behind him opened.

Frankenstein glanced behind him and felt his blood run cold for a moment.

It was Raizel! What was he doing here?

His eyes widened slightly and he quickly faced toward the Lord again, face pale. He didn't want Raizel to get involved in this! If Frankenstein was a criminal, then Raizel could easily be considered an accomplice for harboring him!

He kept all signs of distress and recognition off his face, and he hoped Raizel had realized what was going on and would do the same. If Raizel ignored him and showed no signs of recognizing him, then there would be nothing to incriminate him. Frankenstein certainly wasn't going to tell this Lord that he knew Raizel. There was no need to drag him down as well. Frankenstein liked Raizel. If Frankenstein had not been involved with the Union, he would have wanted to be friends with Raizel. And friends stood up for other friends, even if it meant pretending not to know them.

He kept his face neutral as he heard Raizel's footsteps begin to approach him.

"Cadis Etrama di Raizel, what an unexpected yet pleasant surprise! To what do I owe the pleasure?"

As the Lord spoke Raizel walked across the floor and stopped beside Frankenstein. Frankenstein was still resolutely not making eye contact, but from the corner of his eye he saw Raizel bring his arm up across his chest like Aderes Mergas had.

Then Raizel looked down at him.

Frankenstein stubbornly kept his eyes on the Lord, hoping Raizel would get the hint.

"Oh, did the noise from the fight bother you? Do not worry, it has been taken care of. There is certainly no need for your presence, Raizel."

Good, Frankenstein thought. He and the Lord were apparently united in their attempts to ensure that Raizel remained uninvolved, though he hasn't quite sure what the Lord's motivation was. At least the Lord's statement caused Raizel to look away from him.

"I did not come here to enforce my duty as Noblesse."

His duty as Noblesse? Frankenstein didn't know what the meaning of 'Noblesse' was in this context, but the phrase seemed to indicate that it was his title. Was Raizel a member of the government here? But if that was the case, why was he living alone in a derelict mansion?

Raizel glanced at him before returning his attention to the Lord.

"Oh?" said the Lord. "Then why did you come here?"

Raizel looked down at him again.

"Frankenstein," Raizel responded simply.

Silenced reigned as Frankenstein bit his tongue, still refusing to meet Raizel's eye. Why had he said his name? Now they would be suspicious of him!

"What?!" the Lord cried, moving forward slightly as if intending to stand up. "So you know this young human, Raizel?"

Say no, say no, say no.

"Yes."

Dammit! Raizel had just admitted to being associated with a criminal! He finally turned his gaze to Raizel, hoping to convey how stupid he was being through his disapproving stare.

"Really? And how do you know him?" The Lord seemed way too excited about Raizel being familiar with a criminal.

"…."

"He is my friend," was Raizel's eventual response.

Frankenstein's mouth fell open for a moment. Did he just call him his friend? Well, that was… nice of him. It was nice to know that Raizel had liked him enough to want to be his friend as well. But calling him a friend directly to their leader was a bit much; they had only known each other a few hours. Was he _trying_ to get himself arrested?

The Lord started laughing earnestly after Raizel's declaration and Frankenstein turned to glare at him. Was he mocking Raizel? He saw Raizel shake his head slightly and he looked up curiously at him, but then the Lord distracted him.

"I see, I see, well I'm glad you've made a friend, Raizel. Tell me, does he live with you, or have you been visiting him at his home among the humans?"

Or neither, Frankenstein thought. He had only broken into Raizel's house to escape from his pursuers, and he certainly didn't have a permanent home. And what did this guy mean, 'among the humans?' They were humans too, right?

… Right?

"He… lives with me."

Frankenstein turned to gape at Raizel once more, mind going completely blank.

"Is this true?" The Lord's question had been directed at him this time.

Frankenstein glanced incredulously up at Raizel. Raizel stared back at him. He appeared to be waiting for his answer along with everyone else.

Did Raizel _want_ him to live with him? Did… Did Raizel really want to be his friend?

He smiled slightly, eyes still on Raizel, as he gave his response.

"Yes, it's true."

 **-xxxxxxx-**

 **A/N:** Hey guys! So there is no canon version of the previous Mergas clan leader, so I took the liberty of giving her a name and appearance. I'm a big fan of names being used to describe one's personality or physical characteristics, so it might interest you to know that 'Aderes' means Defender in Israel.

Also, I am going to assume that all the Clan Leaders can use the clothes changing power, though I have no real canon proof that they can. But that's the fun of an AU, is it not? xD

Thanks for reading! Please review! Or don't… Or do! :)


	7. Chapter 7

Hey guys, I know it has been forever, and I know this is a short chapter, and I'm sorry :(. Please know that I have not given up on this story by any means! I just wanted y'all to know that 1.) I'm still here, and I do plan on finishing this story, and 2.) I'm rearranging the chapters a little. I deleted the last Chapter 7 (the one with teenage Franky) because I felt like I hadn't spent enough time with little Franky, and that was half the reason why I wanted to write this fic in the first place! :) I'll re-upload the other chapter when it's time, but for the next few chapters at least, Franky will still be 10 years old.

* * *

The young human walked quietly beside him as they headed back toward the mansion.

Silence did not bother Raizel; what bothered him was Frankenstein's obvious confusion. Throughout the audience with the Lord, from the removal of his handcuffs to Raizel waiting for him so they could leave the throne room together, the boy's bewilderment grew.

It confused Raizel that the human was so confused.

He felt eyes watching him and turned to find the young human had stopped. Raizel stopped as well.

"Why did you do that?" Frankenstein demanded.

Raizel knew from his time with Muzaka and his daughter that Frankenstein was pouting.

Raizel blinked. He did not understand. Why was Frankenstein upset?

"They brought me there on criminal charges," the boy said as he marched up to Raizel and crossed his arms. "You could have been treated as a criminal for associating with me!"

Raizel shook his head. "As the Noblesse, only I have the right to determine if one is a criminal. You have not made any offense against power. You are therefore not someone in need of punishment."

He turned and kept walking calmly back to the mansion.

The boy hurried after him, keeping pace even as he talked.

"But then why did you tell them we live together? Why did you protect me?"

Why? "It is my duty to protect humanity."

The boy faltered a few steps and was silent.

- **xxxxxxx-**

When they reached the mansion Raizel returned to the same room, walking to the same window he was standing at when they first met.

Frankenstein felt a little better about his situation. Oh he was still confused, but though these people possessed power like many in the Union did, he was convinced that they were not a part of it. Or at least, he was convinced that _Raizel_ was not a part of it. Raizel was just, well, he was just a nice guy. Plus, no one in the Union considered it their duty to protect humanity.

For a moment, Frankenstein felt safe.

His sigh turned into a yawn as his body's fatigue and injuries finally caught up with his brain. Raizel had said his name in front of several people. He would not be able to stay here for very long before they discovered he was here. True, Raizel did seem like a good guy, but it didn't change the fact that Frankenstein was on the run from the Union. _The Union._ Nowhere was completely safe, no one was completely beyond suspicion.

He curled up on one of the couches in the room, making sure Dark Spear was keeping watch.


	8. Chapter 8

_His back is cold. His whole body is cold, and it has little to do with the temperature. The lights are too bright. His legs feel rubbery, even though he is laying down. There are faces above him, but they're not human. The smiles are too wide, the eyes too bright. There is no compassion in them. He is scared, and_ tired _. But he knows nothing else. And then, as always, the pain begins._

Frankenstein wakes up and finds himself on his elbows, eyes wide but for a moment unable to see until the memory fades. He has had the same dream every night for years now, and every night he feels just as terrified and helpless as he did when he was back in the lab.

He reflexively sends out a wave of Dark Spear's power to ensure there are no enemies around him as he distastefully wipes the sweat from his brow. He then jumps over the back of the – couch!? – when he feels there is a person standing close to him. Too close.

Raizel was staring out the window, eyes focused on nothing in particular, and the events of last night come flooding back to him. He was not in a lab anymore. Nor was he on the run. He was living on an unknown island in a large mansion with a young man named Raizel.

He straightened from his defensive crouch and scowled at his own behavior, crossing his arms. He did not like appearing weak in front of people, regardless of who they were. But it especially bothered him to show weakness in front of Raizel. Raizel had said it was his duty to protect humanity, and Frankenstein did not want him thinking that humanity was weak. He wanted to appear strong and fearless in front of this strange stranger.

Raizel glanced at him and Frankenstein shot him a carefree smile before walking briskly up to his window, enjoying the way the cool morning air dried the remaining sweat on his body. Since it was before dawn, the fog that lay over the land was thick. No wonder Raizel did not seem to be looking at anything when Frankenstein first noticed him. There was nothing to see!

"Good morning," he said to Raizel, smiling slightly at the irony the sentiment held today.

Raizel nodded his acknowledgement.

Frankenstein tilted his head a little to look up at Raizel, rocking back and forth on his heels as he did so. He had truly never imagined he'd ever be able to stay somewhere with someone for an extended amount of time. What did one do when they lived with someone? What was Raizel expecting? Raizel hadn't shown any sign of wanting to leave the window. To Raizel, Frankenstein was probably a bother, someone he had felt obligated to help because it was apparently his job to protect humanity and Frankenstein was human. Frankenstein frowned sadly. Earlier he had wanted to show Raizel more of the world, but now that it had actually come to pass that they were living together, it occurred to Frankenstein that Raizel didn't really seem to care. It was probably best to do whatever made his host happy, and not bother him.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just wanted to say thanks to all those that favorite/Follow this story and especially those that review. It really motivates me to know that people enjoy this story and want to see more of it. Thanks! :)))


	9. Chapter 9

Frankenstein once again searched through the mansion. The cool morning breeze may have dried the sweat on his body, but it did nothing to actually make him clean. Not to mention there was still a fair amount of dirt and blood on his person from his bout with those enhanced beings the day before. He needed a bathhouse.

He had found no such room.

Frankenstein scowled, marching through the house a little faster now. Why did nothing make sense? From what he could tell Raizel was the only resident, and it wasn't like the man was a dirty beggar like the many Frankenstein had seen while trying, futilely, to escape the Union. He looked absolutely pristine! How could he possibly maintain such an appearance if he didn't have at least _one_ bathhouse?

He opened another door. Empty of everything except dust. Just like so many he'd seen. He closed the door a little harder than was probably necessary.

He wasn't used to being so confused. But then again he had only ever tried deciphering the intentions of people from the Union. The Union minions had patterns. They tried to capture you, tried to lure you out. Raizel had certainly been nicer than most people he had met, but Raizel's reactions towards him was different somehow. Less... personal? Was that it? Or maybe –

His thoughts were arrested when he opened what felt like the hundredth door.

It was another plain room, almost empty. The only thing in the room were several mannequins, each with a simple white shirt on it.

He hesitated a moment, but well, it was better than nothing.

 **-xxxxxxx-**

The young human was wearing his shirt.

It was too big on him, of course, the shirt tail coming down almost to his knees and the sleeves dangling a hands width past his fingertips.

Raizel detected a slight feeling of guilt from the boy before it was quickly banished and replaced by a challenging glare.

"I couldn't find anything else," the boy said as he pushed the sleeves up past his hands and crossed his arms.

Raizel frowned. He had taken Frankenstein in because he had nowhere else to go, but now he was starting to realize that it wasn't going to be that simple. He really didn't spend much time around humans, but even _he_ should have realized that the human needed clothes, especially since the ones he'd arrived in were in such a horrible disarray.

The young man flinched ever so slightly when Raizel raised his hand, but fear turned to astonishment as his ruined clothes peeled away to reveal a replica of what he'd been wearing when he'd arrived.

Raizel turned back around, walking sedately passed the room with his window and finally out the front door. The Lord was somewhat difficult for Raizel to handle, yet he felt sure that the Lord would be able to properly inform him on how to properly care for Frankenstein.

 **-xxxxxx-**

 **A/N:** I defy you to find anything more adorable than an undersized Frankenstein in an oversized Rai shirt .

Little Franky is still smart and wary, but he hasn't mastered the social skills that Big Franky has, so it's fun to watch him be more emotional and irritated than Big Frankenstein usually is about the little stuff xD.

And thank you guys all so much for the support! I know I only update every once in a blue moon but the fact that I know people are interested is what keeps me writing whenever I do have a spare minute. 3


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